I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it. Harvard, that is. It’s
probably the most expensive tournament in the country, starting with exorbitant
registration fees, compounded with lodging costs in a big city, to which we
must add transportation costs. And just look at one division: VPF. 340
entrants, 6 rounds, and the 4-2 screw from hell. And no one seems to care, if
by caring we mean voting with their feet. They’re breaking down the doors to
get in, but realistically, if you look at any of the results in any of the
events, it’s almost inevitably the usual suspects who make it to the end. If
it’s a shock to you that the same schools do well all the time, week after
week, year after year, then I’m guessing this is your first time reading this
blog. There’s a reason I refer to it as the $ircuit. Yes, there’s a lot of
talent behind successful programs that win a lot of big tournaments, but buddy,
they ain’t doing it for free. Meanwhile, I suspect that a lot of schools of
less than national renown blow their entire wad on this one weekend. I know
that some folks do it at the other Ivies, the ones I work. They really want to
have a big travel tournament, and an Ivy makes sense for that, if for no other
reason than pre-existing branding of the venue. But none of them is the
expensive bloodbath that is Cambridge.
I don’t really blame the Harvardians. They charge what the
traffic will bear. And bear it it does. If I can sell you a slot at my
tournament for $150, why would I offer it at $75? Yes, this eliminates some
schools without the funds, but, hey, somebody else does have the funds, so
there you are. That’s not Harvard’s problem. They’re here raising money, not
doing charity work (although they probably do let in some unfunded local
programs, if they’re like other tournaments). And I think that lately the
school is doing its best to run a decent tournament, short of limiting entries,
which would inherently make it a more decent tournament by increasing chances
of success (all 4-2s guaranteed to break), but that’s an issue that most people
don’t seem to care about. All those schools who are not the usual suspects
can’t really go into the tournament believing that, against all that usual
suspect competition, this is going to be their breakout chance. It’s nice to be
hopeful, and it does happen, but when Cinderella went to the ball, at least she
didn’t have to shell out her own money to do so.
Meanwhile, there were plenty of other tournaments this
weekend. Reasonably priced, where students could learn and succeed. I salute
those folks who ran them and attended them.
I ask you, if you’re running a program, and I’ve asked this
before, why are you doing it? What is your goal? Theoretically, the answer
should be the greatest amount of (inherently fantastic debate) education for
the greatest number. And yes, funds need to be raised and a thriving trophy
shelf does act as a wedge in that direction, both with administrations and
families. But unless you have virtually unlimited funds, are you providing that
greatest amount of education for the greatest number? Are you concentrating on
your stars and ignoring the lousy debaters who could learn a lot from you but
never take a single trophy? Are you ignoring the debater who also has other things
on the extracurricular plate and who can’t sell their soul for this activity?
Are those great discussions of the topic material, that could educate masses,
being short-circuited by college judges paid for nothing
but the win for a tiny minority ?
You’re the only one who can answer those questions.
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